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'Confession' App for iPhone Approved By Catholic Church

By Jennifer Russell

TMCnet Copy Editor

"Confession: A Roman Catholic app", thought to be the first iPhone app aimed at helping Catholics through confession and encouraging lapsed followers back to the faith, has been sanctioned by the Catholic Church in the United States.

"Our desire is to invite Catholics to engage in their faith through digital technology," said Patrick Leinen of the three-man company behind the program, Little iApps, based in South Bend, Indiana. It walks Catholics through the sacrament and contains what the company describes as a "personalized examination of conscience for each user."

Leinen said the app has already aided one man in returning to the sacrament after 20 years, and added, "We hope many more will take advantage of this new confession resource.”

The content of the app was developed with the help of Reverend Thomas Weinandy of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Reverend Dan Scheidt, pastor of Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Mishawaka, Indiana.

The app, while officially authorized for Catholics to use by Bishop Kevin Rhoades of the Diocese of Fort Wayne, Indiana, is not designed to replace going to confession but to help Catholics through the act, which generally involves admitting sins to a priest in a confessional booth. Catholics still must go to a priest for absolution.

Jennifer Russell is a TMCnet Copy Editor. Previously she worked as an Editorial Production Assistant at the Taunton Press and as a Production Assistant at Hersam-Acorn Newspapers. To read more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.